Rugby legend talks about ‘walking the walk’ to inspire others at inaugural Yorkshire Leadership Awards

Senior business leaders from across Yorkshire attended the Yorkshire Leadership Awards this week, when ten awards were given out to leaders who had impressed an independent judging panel with their abilities to empower, collaborate and lead from the front.

Award winners

Well-known rugby play Jamie Peacock was the keynote speaker, taking to the stage in front of more than 230 people at The Queens in Leeds to tell his personal experiences of leadership. He said: “As a leader, you have got to be authentic and you have got to do things when you say you are going to do them, no matter what the consequences are to you.

“That allows you to have respect among the people you lead.”

He said as Captain of Great Britain on a tour in Australia, when the team were underdogs, he led by “walking the walk.”

Peacock added that fundamental to good leadership was “knowing your team” and also self-discipline to reach your own goals, in order for others to see that trait in you and follow such an example. He said the one thing people had got in common is “that we are all different” and he urged the audience to embrace this and listen to colleagues and teammates to get the most out of people and inspire others. “Listening is the most important part of caring about people,” he added.

“To be a good and effective leader, you have got to care about them. The saying is that when they know you care, they will care. Being an effective leader is about knowing yourself, having self-discipline,

Kate Hainsworth

walking the walk and knowing your team.”

Peacock is widely acknowledged as one of the best players of the Super League era. In a distinguished career for Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos, Peacock won nine league titles, four Challenge Cups and four World Club Challenge trophies. Also speaking at the event was Kate Hainsworth, chief executive of Leeds Community Foundation – TheBusinessDesk.com’s charity partner over the coming 12 months.

The awards, sponsored by headline sponsor Leeds Beckett University’s Business School,  recognised the achievements of nine different leaders, with David Brennan scooping Leader of the Year Award as well as the Company Leader (over 100 employees) category.

David Brennan

Receiving the Leader of the Year award, Brennan said: “I am flabbergasted. It’s very kind of you – but it really isn’t all about me – it’s about 144 people, most of those work in Pudsey – who try very hard every day doing a great job for our customers.

“I have seen some brilliant examples of leadership in this room today and it’s great to see that leadership is being celebrated in Yorkshire in the right way.”

Picking up the award for Young Leader, Ellie MacDonald said: “Empowering people is so important. My business is built on strong values – those people who have passion, enthusiasm, positivity  and collaboration are those that have progressed further.”

Mike Richardson, who received the Public and Third Sector Award, said he was taken aback and that it was a team effort. His tip was to employ people who are “better at things” than yourself and empower them to do  well. “My team are a wonderful group of people,” he added.

Lee Wilkinson, who picked up the Best Leadership Programme Award on behalf of PwC, said that it was great to see people who had been through the programme now in senior leadership roles. He said it was essential to adapt and change the programme “as the world changes”.

Receiving the Diversity and Inclusion Award, Becky Hewitt of Leeds Building Society said: “Diversity and inclusion for us is really at the heart of what we do. It is a purpose for us in terms of our membership, our customers. It’s about making sure everyone feels included and believes in our values.”

She added that it was “brilliant” to receive the award and that she hoped it would be a catalyst for others to take the agenda forward.

Rachel Engwell

Rachel Engwell of Grant Thornton picked up the Empowering People award and said that it was pleasing to work in a team where she can see others progressing. “We have had a

fantastic couple of years at GT, particularly in the tax team we have  had some challenges, but we have come off the back of that now and we have some really good people doing some really good things so it’s all really good,” added Engwell.

Professional services award winner Caroline Pullich said that maintaining a personal external brand was really important, as well as motivating people internally, as it was essential in her role to get collaboration with the public sector and private sector. “Working in collaboration is essential for our economy,” she added. “It’s hard work but it’s very rewarding,” she concluded.

Paul Parkinson won the Company Leader (Up to 100 employees) category and stated: “Everyday when I go into the office, it is my job to inspire. It is my job to make the team feel they can be something. It’s about ensuring that they can be the best that they can be.”

Paul Teasdale

Winning the Transformational Leader Award, Paul Teasdale of Premier Technical Services Group, said: “We empower people to do their job and buy into our philosophy. It is very much about reward and achievement, we want to reward people and see them grow. We have a training academy in the business, which we invested in. Being a Yorkshire guy at heart, winning a Yorkshire Leadership Award is very important to me.”

He described his team as “an amazing group of people” who had helped to grow the business in the last 11 years from conception to a multi-million-pound plc.

The event was jointly hosted by Alex Turner, Joint MD of TheBusinessdesk.com, and Kayley Worsley, Yorkshire editor at TheBusinessDesk.com. Turner summed up the afternoon stating: “Congratulations to all of the shortlisted individuals and winners. The quality of entries really was outstanding.”

Judging panel

Handing out awards were representatives from sponsors Brewin Dolphin, Progeny, Ellis Whittam and West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. The independent judging panel members – Paula Dillon, president, Leeds Chamber of Commerce, Eve Roodhouse, chief officer for economic development, Leeds City Council, Henri Murison, director, Northern Powerhouse Partnership and Professor George Lodorfos, dean, Leeds Beckett University Business School – also presented awards.

The 2018 Yorkshire Leadership Awards winners are: 

Public and Third Sector

Mike Richardson, City of York Council

Young Leader  – Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin 

Ellie MacDonald, MacComms

Best Leadership Programme 

PwC Leadership Development Programme

Diversity and Inclusion Leader

Becky Hewitt, Leeds Building Society

Empowering Potential – Sponsored by Ellis Whittam  

Rachel Engwell, Grant Thornton

Professional Services Leader 

Caroline Pullich, Barclays

Transformational Leader – Sponsored by West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce  

Paul Teasdale, Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG)

Company Leader (Up to 100 employees) – Sponsored by Progeny

Paul Parkinson, Synergy Automotive

Company Leader (100+ employees) – Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin 

David Brennan, Nexus Vehicle Rental

Leader of the Year 

David Brennan, Nexus Vehicle Rental

2018 Yorkshire Leadership Awards – Full shortlist

Public and Third Sector:  Marie Peacock, Candlelighters Mike Richardson, City of York Council

Young Leader  – Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin : Andy Shatwell, Charlton Morris, Ellie MacDonald, MacComms, Michal Szlas, OTTY Sleep

Best Leadership Programme : PwC Leadership Development Programme, Ramsdens Management Programme (RMP), Hermes/Common Purpose

Diversity and Inclusion Leader: Becky Hewitt, Leeds Building Society, Victoria Davey, Gordons, Professor Uduak Archibong, University of Bradford, Rachel Iveson-Brown, RSM

Empowering Potential – Sponsored by Ellis Whittam, Trevor Wheatly, Aspire Development UK, Rachel Jansen, YorkTest Laboratories, Rachel Engwell, Grant Thornton, Paul Parkinson, Synergy Automotive, Mark Garratt, University of Bradford

Professional Services Leader: Jillian Thomas, Future Life Wealth Management, Caroline Pullich, Barclays, John Alderton, Squire Patton Boggs,  Allison Page, DLA Piper, Andy Wood, Grant Thornton

Transformational Leader – Sponsored by West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce : Richard Corbridge, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Caroline Fattorini, Bowman Riley

Robert Harder, Hollinbay, David Laws, Leeds Bradford Airport, Paul Teasdale, Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG)

Company Leader (Up to 100 employees) – Sponsored by Progeny: Jonathan Sanderson, Corecom Consulting, Zandra Moore, Panintelligence, Jonathan Marsden, The Technology Group, Paul Parkinson, Synergy Automotive, Anna Sutton, The Data Shed

Company Leader (100+ employees) – Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin : Craig Naylor-Smith, Parseq, David Brennan, Nexus Vehicle Rental, Jacqui Hall, CNG, Gary Gallen, rradar, Paul Teasdale, Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG)

Leader of the Year: Announced on the afternoon

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